


(Un)Expected Death

by lilolilyrae



Category: Body of Proof
Genre: Case Fic, Established Relationship, Gen, One Shot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-15
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2020-10-29 10:07:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20794886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilolilyrae/pseuds/lilolilyrae
Summary: A kind of one-shot/casefic focusing on the victim (an original character by me): Philippa 'Flippa' Sandarian, seventeen and, apparently, a genius.Follow Megan on her journey to find out more about the story behind the latest body in the forensics lab!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Unerwarteter Erwarteter Tod](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20794889) by [lilolilyrae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilolilyrae/pseuds/lilolilyrae). 
**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2019-10-15

_Phillippa "Flippa" Sandarian, 17, burned beyond recognition, _Megan remembers from the file, while she follows the employee of the student accommodation to the room the victim- Philippa- last lived in. She tries to focus on what she knows about the case, but the guy just won't stop talking about how the security and safety systems of the accommodation are harder to get through than pentagon, and if anything it's campus security people should be worried about, and why would anyone kill such a girl anyway-

Wait. Maybe instead of telling him _again_ that the girl died in neither of those places, she can at least find out more about the victim if she can get him to switch topics. 

"No? Did she not have any enemies?"

"Not that I'm aware of, no, but who knows these days? And she was a real special lady, finished high-school in four years, and that's after she already got out of primary a year or so early! Real genius, I'm telling ya! They say they didn't want to let her first, 'cause, you see, her grades weren't really what you'd expect of a genius like that...but she just studied what she thought was necessary, and never failed anything, now that's genius if anyone asks me! Not that anyone does, but, well, yes, she even already knew what grades she'd get right after a test or essay or whatnot, or even before, they say-so"

"Excuse me, but- who exactly do you mean by 'they'?" 

"Oh, you know. People. People talk. Students and teachers and family, and I think there was a reporter here once, yes I know for sure there was, I kept the article- that was when she just moved here, after she finished high-school so early, well, home-school really, but of course she did all the tests, 's not like she could've been cheating- took a month for a subject, they say, for what she had to learn in a year, and studied several at the same time, 'xcept history and math, those she did one at a time, they say. When she started, people were discussing whether that method could really br sustainable, I was following the case on the news, got kids too ya see, wanted to know whether that's an idea to- well, wanted to know whether it made sense, 'cause I was sure she wouldn't remember everything long-time then- wasn't the only one who thought so, they wouldn't let her, 'specially cause she was home-schooled, and not even at her parents', so there was some backlash- said she'd do a test year, and repeat her exams at the end of it together with the others in her year, and if she'd not get any worse, like, in percent or somethin', than the others got worse repeating a test from the year before, then they'd have to let her, as she wouldn't have had forgotten any more than the others, obviously. An' she didn't, apparently- but I think she wouldn'ta passed the end term exams anymore, either. Well, alright now, this is her room right here-" 

He opens the door for Megan, and she enters, her mind still reeling with all the new information she just learned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I know next to nothing about the American school system, and all I learned I learned against my will. Don't correct me on anything please, let's just call it an AU on real life and be done with it.
> 
> If you liked this so far, let me know!  
Btw while I do have enough ideas to write another chapter and make this somewhat less cliffhanger-y, I don't yet know who or what murdered her myself xD so, suggestions are very welcome!  
(Yes, I rly only did come up with a character and immediately made her a murder victim lol)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2019-10-16  
Tried to make it a bit Megan/Kate centric through the text messages despite Megan still being on a case and Kate somewhere else entirely :)

While Sam and Bud are looking for clues, DNA samples and whatnot, Megan tries to find out more about the girl- the genius, apparently- and what kind of person she was when she was alive. 

There are pictures on a pinboard, mostly photographs. It's easy to recognise which girl must be Philippa- even if Megan hadn't seen a picture of her before, she'd know that the girl that is in ever picture, in the middle of every group photo, smiling brightly into the camera must be her.

A sound from her phone reminds Megan to check her messages.

> [from: Kate Murphy]
> 
> _I know you're not in the lab right now, but once you are, could you double check Ethan's results in the poison case? I'd ask Curtis but he's still home sick, and I'm stuck in meetings all day. X_
> 
> [to: Kate Murphy]
> 
> _Hi, Sure, but I have no idea when I'll be done here, is it urgent? Then I can take a break from following the cops around and go back later. _
> 
> _Are you coming home tonight or sleeping in the office again then? _

Kate doesn't answer immediately, probably already in the next meeting, so Megan puts her phone away and looks at the things spread out on the desk underneath the pinboard. Pens, paper, textbooks, nothing personal apart from a not very neatly done origami-swan... 

Her phone beeps again.

> [from: Kate Murphy]
> 
> _Not urgent, just some time today would be good. You're on the Sandarian case, right? _
> 
> _& I'd be offended by that insinuation if it hadn't happened two times last month. But no I should be home_
> 
> _Lacey called, she asks whether you are still picking her up from practice today at 6_
> 
> _X_
> 
> [to: Kate Murphy]
> 
> _Alright, I'll get it done. _
> 
> _Yes, seems to be an interesting one, although it already terrifies me even more to ever let Lacey go to college... And yes, of course I will pick her up. Why didn't she try to call my cell? I have it on me this time. _
> 
> _See you_

Trying to ignore the fact that she still can't write proper greetings and goodbyes to Kate without feeling like an awkward schoolgirl, Megan just shakes her head at her daughter's antics- although yes, the fact that the last three times Lacey tried to call her, her phone was either drowned, lost or out of battery might have something to do with it- and looks around the room.

What else is there to see... Apparently, the girl had many friends of different age groups. Makes sense, Megan supposes, with how fast she went through high-school and college, that if she had friends at all they would be spread over the different peer groups. The people aren't just from varying age groups, but also look very diverse- there are some pictures with staidly looking college girls, then a selfie with what might be a punk band, another one with a girl covered in bright make-up- Phillippa herself seems to be covered in make-up in every picture, and it doesn't always fit in with the clothes she wears, especially when in tame, almost official-looking blouse and skirt together with the equally tame and bare-faced girls.

Keeping that mystery in mind, Megan turns away from the pinboard and to the wardrobe. Clothes- some of which she has already seen in the pictures- in mostly chaotic piles that only seem to be sorted by theme of classy vs. wild. On one board, there are books, fiction and non-fiction both. A drawer with CDs and DVDs. And then, one part of the wardrobe is locked...

"Hey, Sam?" 

"Yes?" 

There are wigs in the wardrobe.

Good ones, too, real human hair, like many cancer patients use them, nothing you would buy for a fun night out. There are no costumes visible, either, and the fact that most wigs are the same colour as Philippa's hair in the pictures must mean that the girl wore them in everyday life.. But why? 

Megan's thoughts are running at full speed. Together with what she has seen in the lab and couldn't explain earlier, couldn't even be sure that it meant anything-

Of course! Then there should be- _Yes!_ Further down in the formerly locked part of the wardrobe, Megan finds a cluster of packages and tins with pills.

"Bud, Sam?" Megan calls over her shoulder. "I think I found something..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you made it this far, let me know!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2019-10-17

"What's going on now?" Bud asks, bagging whatever he just found as he comes over.

"She had the progeria syndrome!"

Yes, sometimes she really doesn't understand why Kate wants to be the boss of the instutute so badly- this here is a lot more interesting than any meetings could be.

"Pro-what?" Sam raises an eyebrow.

"It makes those affected age rapidly fast, the average life expectancy is, as far as I know, still only thirteen-"

"That still doesn't turn you into a genius, does it?" Bud asks. Ah, so the guy from the accommodation got to him, too.

"No, but as far as I am aware it doesn't compromise the mental capacities either, apart from aging the brain more quickly, too- and Einstein was still a genius with seventy, why shouldn't she have been one with seventeen? She could have been both, just by coincidence- don't look at me like that, people are diverse creatures!-"

"You just want to find your next sob story" Bud grumbles. "I'm more interested in actually saving this case."

"Well, that is what I am trying to help you with! Why would someone kill her- she wouldn't have lived for much longer anyway, it's a miracle she made it this far- what does this tell us?"

Bud shrugs in a gesture that clearly says 'i have no idea and it's not like I can stop you from telling us either way'. Sam snickers.

"Whoever killed her had most likely no idea what she was suffering from! That would rule out most personal motives- her death could have also been an accident, of course. Or I got the diagnosis wrong- I need to call Curtis- wait, Ethan- in the lab, he needs to run some tests and see whether-"

"No need. I can tell you all about it- yes, she had it." 

A young woman is standing in the doorway. Megan recognises her immediately- she is in several of Philippa's pictures.

"Sorry?" Sam turns to the woman before Megan can get a word in. "This is a closed investigation, how did you-"

"I am- I was! Her sister. My name is Maike, Flippa was my baby sister, and she managed to survive for so long, and now she's dead-" Maike breaks off with a sob. 

Giving Sam and Bud the side eye, Megan leads the crying young woman out of the room. "Come on, let's get some air- do you want to tell me about her?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am by no means a doctor nor do I have any personal experiences with progeria, I hope this story doesn't offend anyone who does!  
I read a report on the condition in a magazine some time ago, and while watching Body of Proof with all its different cases and illnesses and whatnot I remembered it for some reason.  
Btw- I googled- the oldest person with progeria apparently lived to 26.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 19-10-28

Once Maike calmed down a little, she is eager to tell Megan all about her sister. Megan thinks it might be a relief for her, finally being able to talk about it all.

"Flippa got diagnosed with Progeria when she was only just four years old. We had googled her symptoms before, her and I I mean, our parents were- well. Not really there for us. When she found out how little time she had left to live, she made a vow that she would live her entire life in ten years.

I only cried, I didn't believe her, and either way I didn't want to lose her. I was only nine. But she managed- and no-one knew about her condition, she took pills that mostly just hide the symptoms and started using make-up early on. Our parents didn't care, I don't think they ever really realised what was going on.

Once she had been diagnosed, the first thing she did was enter a school program to get into primary school early. You can usually only do that when you were born shortly after the last normal birth date that's taken in for the year, but there are also tests for gifted children that start school extra early. Of course our parents would've never thought to sign up for something like that, so Flippa learned to fake an adult looking handwriting and signed the documents... After that, she did first and second grade in a year. They wouldnt let her do the same with third anf forth grade, but in highschool she started home schooling instead, making her own courses..."

Maike takes a deep breath, wiping away a few stray tears.

"Sounds very ambitious" Megan says, trying to distract her, keep her talking. She can feel her phone vibrate in her pocket, but whoever is calling can wait. This is more important. And if it is urgent, they'd better know to call again.

Maike's features turn hard, hand clenching around the other arm's sleeve. "She wasn't just some nerd, alright? She's been called that and I know she doesn't- didn't, fuck- didn't care, but I just know that it's not the truth! She so _desperately_ wanted to learn everything she could _as long as she still had time,_ don't you understand?"

Before Megan can as much as nod, she continues: "And she kept saying that she still had years- that it wasn't so bad, compared to these fantasy characters in those books Age liked, who'd throw away ninety percent of their lifetime to be with the person they love. And honestly, for me that just made me realise that those stories just weren't realistic! But Flip had to see it all positive... well, I guess she did had to. She really wanted to get out of our town, into the city, go to college- because I'm already of age, they let her go as long as she'd stay in the same sorority and all. We had most of the same friends... and the entire time no-one knew about her illness apart from me and her doctors- oh, damn, please don't get them into trouble! I know our parents should have been told, but doc Walters knew that Flippa was more of an adult than the both of them combined. The one time he did visit they were on drugs, the both of them... so he didn't want to let them decide about her life. And Flippa really didn't want anyone to know. She wanted a normal life- well, as normal aß possible, I suppose. Normal, just turning up the speed."

Now she is really remembering her sister again, really remembering instead of letting grief make everything seem hopeless and dull. There are still tears in her eyes, but for the first time since she got the news, Maike smiles. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you made it this far, be so kind and let me know :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2019-10-29  
Short chapter, sorry!

"Sounds like she really was something special..." Megan mumbles once Maike has finished. "I can barely believe anyone could manage to pull that off, finishing school so fast- and at the same time hiding something like this...?"

Maike chuckles sadly. "Yes, that's just her. So adaptable. I mean situations and, like, physical costumes, she was like a chameleon with her clothes. And once you saw her without makeup once, you knew how good she was at that, too... I don't have a single picture of her without it. She wouldn't have wanted it, she-"

Maike breaks off, a pained expression on her face. She takes a deep breath. 

"Her hair was the first thing that got really noticeable. I mean, it was easy enough to color the grey strands, but pretty soon it didn't grow very long anymore, either... she cut it short on purpose then and once shaved it all, saying it was just to be cool. But I saw her crying in her room at night... she wasn't strong _all_ the time.

She really liked having long hair, always admired that girl Hanna in my year in highschool, hair so long it covered her arse... so Flippa saved money and sometimes stole some too, I think, until she managed to buy her first wig. Came back to school with it and everyone just thought it had grown back over break... she was only ten years old. After that she suddenly had more money, I think she started dealing too, and stealing of course though-"

"Wait. What was that? Dealing? Drugs, you mean?" Megan's thoughts are swirling. Now _that's_ an angle they hadn't considered so far at all, with the girl being such a picture perfect student...

"Um, yes. All kinds of stuff, I never really knew what she never told me. I don't think she took anything herself, apart from what she was supposed to take I mean- I don't even know whether she was dealing with that kinda drugs or, you know... but anyway she was never high or anything, and she needed the money-" 

Maike starts to sound defensive, and Megan quickly shakes her head. "I don't want to talk bad about the dead, I'm definitely not looking to paint her as a drug addict. But you have to tell my colleagues from the police what you just told me, alright? If she was dealing drugs we have a whole new range of motives and suspects..."

"Sure, sure" Maike mumbles while Megan quickly sends a few texts. "I always thought it was a bad idea, but she really needed the money- not just for her look, but for the meds too! And treat first what kills first, right? She always took money from put parents, and they never noticed, but they didn't have a lot of it either, so at some point... And then she suddenly had money leftover to buy good makeup and wigs, the fancy kind made from real hair and all, that you can style different ways too and that she didn't have to snip around on anymore to make it look realistic. Before that she only had one second styled wig that she'd put on for prom and such, saying she had been at the hairdressers'.

But then once she got the real hair wigs, the ones you saw upstairs, she was able to do everything- really lucky, too, that she got them when she did, because we got a visit from an aunt who dragged the both of us to the hairdressers, I mean mostly because of me I think, I never took too good care of how I looked, so my hair was a bit of a mess. Anyway, Flippa had to come too. So she glued on the wig more than she normally would and went to the hair salon- and noone noticed! Or I guess maybe they didn't but didn't rat her out. God, she had always been so creative- she really was a genius like your colleague said. And now- and now she's dead! Who _does_ something like that?!"

The last words are interrupts by sobs.

Megan pulls a grimace and pats the young woman's arm, trying to comfort her.

"That's what we're trying to find out," she says, "I think I would have liked your sister- she really deserves justice."


End file.
